The second the author approached me with this read, my curiosity shot sky-high. It's a bedtime read without pictures with the purpose to be boring....not so boring that kids won't listen but boring enough to lull them to sleep. That sounds like a perfect bedtime read to me. So, let's see if it's as great as I hope it is.
THE OLD WOODEN HOUSE
or 'Yat, the boring story!'
by Will Hackett-Jones
Children's Fiction / Bedtime Story
50 pages
ages 3 to 7
The Old Wooden The "Post-Gruffalo" Secret to Winning Bedtime
Deliberately Designed Boredom to Lull Even the Most Restless Kids to Sleep
Are Bedtime Stories Keeping Your Kids Awake?
You’ve read about the Gruffalo, the witch, and the robot. Your child’s eyes are wide with excitement… and you know you’ve lost. The bedtime routine has failed. Most children's books are like a shot of espresso right before bed.
It’s Time for a New Strategy. It’s Time for Strategic Boredom.
"The Old Wooden House" is not a story. It’s a parenting hack. It’s the "post-Gruffalo" – the book you reach for after the fun story, specifically designed with one single to ensure no child makes it to the end.
How Does It Work?
Crafted by a British author and narrated in a deliberately mellifluous, monotonous tone, this book
Deliberately Dull A statistical analysis of the most soporific themes (fruit, insects, a family unit) ensures a high "Pleasantness Index" and a zero "Surprise & Delight Index."
Repetitive, Lulling To slow the evening down, not raise it.
Past Tense To evoke calm memories, not the excitement of the present.
No To allow the mind to relax and not be overstimulated.
Deliberately Designed Boredom to Lull Even the Most Restless Kids to Sleep
Are Bedtime Stories Keeping Your Kids Awake?
You’ve read about the Gruffalo, the witch, and the robot. Your child’s eyes are wide with excitement… and you know you’ve lost. The bedtime routine has failed. Most children's books are like a shot of espresso right before bed.
It’s Time for a New Strategy. It’s Time for Strategic Boredom.
"The Old Wooden House" is not a story. It’s a parenting hack. It’s the "post-Gruffalo" – the book you reach for after the fun story, specifically designed with one single to ensure no child makes it to the end.
How Does It Work?
Crafted by a British author and narrated in a deliberately mellifluous, monotonous tone, this book
Deliberately Dull A statistical analysis of the most soporific themes (fruit, insects, a family unit) ensures a high "Pleasantness Index" and a zero "Surprise & Delight Index."
Repetitive, Lulling To slow the evening down, not raise it.
Past Tense To evoke calm memories, not the excitement of the present.
No To allow the mind to relax and not be overstimulated.
MY TIDBITS
With the sole purpose to soothe and lull to sleep, these pages take listeners on a very gentle journey to guide to pleasant dreams.
This book has one purpose: to get kids to fall asleep. Through inviting imagery, these pages guide listeners on a short journey to an apple orchard to retrieve their favorite fruits and return to the house afterwards. The author first gives a short note on how he was inspired to write this book before giving directions on how this book can be read. These reading instructions follow with every 'chapter' break, helping to make sure the tale stays slow and calm. Each moment serves one purpose, to let listeners picture themselves in the described situations (visiting the orchard) and slowly sink into sleep.
At the end of the book are more bedtime tips, which include everything from sleeping temperatures to lavender scents. There are also questions listeners can answer as well as space for them to draw...of course, this section is not thought to be done during the bedtime read.
The entire thing is a calming, mental journey, which allows listeners to close their eyes and slowly feel themselves into the scene. The writing offers simple and familiar descriptions keeping the age group in mind the entire time. It's interesting enough to want to listen and enjoy but never adds even a hint of tension or hectic. Everything is positive and safe, allowing all senses to be mentioned so listeners can really sink into the moments.
It's a lovely read and works very well for its purpose.
And here he is...
Will Hackett-Jones is a British writer from Needham Market, Suffolk. He has lived in St Petersburg since 2003. He previously founded and ran Cool English Magazine and later Eclectic Translations, a film-subtitling company. He now writes fiction, including the children’s bedtime book The Old Wooden House (ages 3–7; cover image only, no interior illustrations; for difficult nights and travel) and an adult novel in Russian. His work has been covered by BBC Suffolk and Virgin Radio.
Links:
https://willhj.com
BBC origin piece: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yg5vx3xp3o
https://willhj.com
BBC origin piece: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yg5vx3xp3o
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